According to sources close to the Puntland Presidency, the administration of President Said Abdullahi Deni and General Jimcaale Jama Takar have reached a preliminary agreement aimed at resolving the dispute that has strained relations between the two sides in recent weeks.
The first phase of negotiations, led by a mediation committee comprising traditional elders and politicians from the Nugaal region, has now concluded.
While the talks were underway, General Jimcaale Jama Takar, the commander of Somalia’s Danab Special Forces, arrived in Garowe on Friday evening despite having previously been barred from entering Puntland territory.
Knowledgeable sources close to the negotiations said the preliminary agreement, facilitated by a committee chaired by former Puntland President Senator Abdirahman Mohamed Farole, includes the following key provisions:
Jimcaale will abandon his military cooperation and operational plans with the Federal Government of Somalia.
The forces under his command will receive their salaries and benefits from the Puntland administration.
President Deni will award General Jimcaale the highest military rank within the Puntland security forces.
Protecting Puntland’s security is recognized as a collective responsibility shared by all Puntland residents.
Puntland authorities previously issued order for Takar’s forces to disarm after they clashed with local security forces.
Sources also indicated that another significant provision has been agreed upon but has not yet been publicly disclosed.
Jimcaale Takar, a local militia commander, emerged as a key figure in Puntland following violent clashes during Puntland elections in 2023.
In recent weeks, General Jimcaale had developed closer ties with the Federal Government of Somalia and was ultimately appointed commander of the Somali National Army’s 54th Division, which federal authorities said would be headquartered in Garowe.
That appointment was widely viewed as an attempt by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s administration to expand the Federal Government’s political and military influence inside Puntland.
Negotiations are expected to continue until both parties reach a comprehensive final agreement.
However, informed sources caution that several contentious issues remain unresolved. If those differences are not addressed, they could derail the negotiations or lead both sides to revert to their previous positions.
Last month, General Jimcaale traveled to Las Anod after President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud appointed him to lead a force that the Federal Government said it was establishing inside Puntland.
His appointment and subsequent movements triggered a major political and security crisis. Puntland responded by mobilizing armed forces reportedly tasked with preventing his entry into the region.
For several weeks, traditional elders and political leaders from Puntland have worked to ease the tensions. Those efforts, based on customary clan mediation and traditional conflict-resolution mechanisms, eventually brought both sides to the negotiating table in search of a lasting settlement.